Potentials of leys or pasture-based forage production in Nigeria

Abstract

Fulani pastoralists are widely distributed across the six geographical zones of Nigeria and migrate from north to south in search of natural grazing lands at times of forage scarcity. This migration leads annually to resource use conflict and deadly attacks between migrating pastoralists and sedentary arable farmers. These conflicts have generated heated scholarly debates over the last few decades. Here, we provide an overview of the nexus between the farmer-herder crises, grassland management, and livestock production and argue for the establishment of irrigated pastures to increase forage production and quality and, thereby, reduce land-use conflicts. This recommendation is offered in place of the often-called-for transition to a ranching system for livestock production. We recommend an interdisciplinary approach to investigate the willingness of stakeholders in the livestock business to pay for fresh or conserved forage resources, as well as robust policies that could attract investment into the establishment, management, and sustainability of commercial forage production.